


The Doctor in Demand

by maiden_aunt (SCFrankles)



Category: Dear Ladies
Genre: Gen, Humor, Mild Innuendo, Valentine's Day
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-14
Updated: 2016-02-14
Packaged: 2018-05-20 10:20:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,583
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6002221
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SCFrankles/pseuds/maiden_aunt
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hilda is being taken out by a gentleman for Valentine's Day. But it seems that Evadne may have plans too.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Doctor in Demand

**Author's Note:**

> Hinge and Bracket were created by Patrick Fyffe and George Logan. _Dear Ladies_ was written by Fyffe and Logan, and Gyles Brandreth, and produced by the BBC.

Hilda wafted into the living room, paused dramatically in front of the settee and then did a little twirl.

Evadne looked up from her book and raised an eyebrow. “You’re looking smart, dear. Off out somewhere?”

“Well, of course I am!” Hilda came to a halt again and beamed. “Don’t you remember what day it is?”

Evadne had returned her attention to the book. “Er… the 14th, isn’t it?”

“It’s Valentine’s Day!” Hilda spread her arms and sat down gracefully on the settee next to Evadne. “And as it’s Valentine’s Day, naturally a gentleman is taking me out to lunch.”

Evadne looked up again with a bit more interest. “Which gentleman’s that then?”

Hilda giggled. “Do you recall a few years ago when we went camping..?”

Evadne’s gaze was unwavering. “You mean, when you sent me off to camp in a field, and you went camping in a five-star hotel?”

“Oh, that’s unfair, dear.” Hilda waved a hand vaguely. “It was only a two-star…”

Evadne rolled her eyes. “So what has that to do with you being taken to lunch by a gentleman?”

Hilda came back to herself and leant confidentially towards Evadne. “Well, do you remember that charming Brigadier who was staying at the hotel too? You met him at the officers’ mess the next day.”

“Oh, yes…” Evadne’s eyebrows rose slightly. “‘Clippy’.”

“Well, he’s staying there again! Phoned up and asked if I’d like to meet him at the hotel for a meal, and then go for a stroll!” Hilda waved her hands excitedly. “What could be more perfect?”

“Staying indoors, I should think.” Evadne glanced back towards the French windows. “It looks freezing out there.”

Hilda smiled kindly and patted Evadne’s arm. “Now, dear. You mustn’t be jealous just because you haven’t got plans.”

Evadne looked back towards her companion. “Hilda, I am not—!” She collected herself and settled back against the settee. “Actually…” There was just the hint of a smile on her face. “I do have something on for today.”

Hilda’s eyes widened. “Do you?”

“Yes, I do.” Evadne set down her book and checked her watch. “And I ought to go and get ready, to be honest.”

Hilda stared at Evadne as she stood up. “Surely you’re not saying _you’re_ seeing a gentleman.”

Evadne gave Hilda a little smirk. “Well, let’s just say I won’t be wanting for male companionship.”

She gestured vaguely as she exited towards the stairs.

“Answer the door if I’m not down, will you?”

Hilda watched Evadne leave, open-mouthed. “Good heavens…” She was distracted by the doorbell ringing and went out into the hall. “Who on earth would want to take Evadne out..?”

She opened the door.

“Mr. Butler!”

Hilda beamed at the man standing in the porch.

“Of course! I suppose you’re here for the Doctor.”

“I am indeed, Dame Hilda,” said Mr. Butler, a little nervously. “Is she..?”

“Just getting herself ready for you.” Hilda gestured into the house. “But please do come in and wait, dear.”

Mr. Butler bowed his head with an awkward smile, and followed Hilda into the living room.

Hilda indicated the settee, and took her own armchair.

 _“Well,”_ she said. “So how long has this been going on?”

Mr. Butler paused in his fidgeting on the settee and appeared puzzled. Then his face cleared.

“Oh, so the Doctor has told you about… Well, some months, I believe.”

“Gracious.” Hilda’s eyebrows flew up.

“Indeed,” said Mr. Butler. “But now I gather she’s rather keen to get it sorted out.”

“You mean,” Hilda leant forward. “You think it’s serious..?”

Mr. Butler frowned. “It certainly could become serious.”

Hilda’s eyes were wide. “I must say she’s kept all this _very_ quiet.”

The doorbell rang again and Hilda got to her feet.

“I want to hear all about it! Every detail! I won’t be a moment, Mr. Butler.”

Hilda went back into the hall. “Now who can this be..?”

She opened the door again to find the vicar standing on the threshold.

Hilda beamed. “Good morning, Donald! And what can I do for you?”

“Thank you, Hilda. But in fact, I’m here to see the Doctor,” said the vicar, smiling politely. “She was very insistent that I had to come today.”

Hilda’s smile faded and she looked a little wary. “Was she?”

“Yes, indeed,” said the vicar. “Well, she thought this might be her last chance.”

“Her last..?” Hilda smiled weakly at the vicar. “Does… Does Cressida know you’re here?”

“Oh, yes!” The vicar nodded vigorously. “She encouraged me to come. Thought it might put some colour in my cheeks, you know!”

Hilda looked somewhat stunned.

She gestured inside. “I’m afraid Mr. Butler is also here...”

But the vicar appeared pleased. “Well, that’s splendid! Splendid! The more, the merrier!”

“Yes…” Seemingly in a daze, Hilda directed the vicar towards the living room. However, before she could follow him, the doorbell rang once more.

Hilda opened the door to find a young man this time. Tall, handsome, blond. He seemed a little familiar.

“Hello! I’m here for Doctor Hinge,” he grinned.

“Of course you are,” said Hilda faintly. “I’m sorry—I can’t quite place where…”

“Dirk!” The young man stuck out his hand. “From Ahler’s!”

Hilda shook his hand. “Yes… You showed me your balls.”

Dirk furrowed his brow for a moment. “Oh, how is the golf?”

“Fine, thank you...” Her mind far, far away, Hilda took Dirk into the living room and deposited him with the other men.

Then leaving them chatting cheerily with one another, she went up to find Evadne. She met her just coming out of her bedroom wearing a sensible skirt and rather elderly cardigan.

“Are they here?” asked Evadne. “I thought I heard the doorbell go.”

“Yes, _all_ of your gentlemen friends are here.” Hilda stared at Evadne’s plain ensemble and then threw up her hands. “I’m sorry. I don’t understand it—I simply don’t. Three of them! What on earth do you have that I don’t?”

Evadne smiled just a little. “Hilda, surely you must realise that I have something that no man could _ever_ resist.”

“And what’s that?” asked Hilda cautiously.

“A shed.”

Evadne sighed.

“They’ve all come to help me in the garden. Something’s gone wrong with the drainage, and there’s a huge pool of water gathering behind the shed. We’re going to dig a channel to lead it away before the ground really does freeze. This could be the last chance for quite a while.”

“Oh, I see…” Hilda started giggling. “Of course—the _garden.”_ She patted Evadne’s arm. “I’m sorry for jumping to conclusions, dear. I really should know by now that romance isn’t your sort of thing.”

She turned to go downstairs.

Evadne rolled her eyes in irritation and followed her.

 

 

Hilda trundled off in the car to meet the Brigadier, and Evadne and the chaps got on with digging the channel.

But now dusk was approaching and the work was done.

“I think we can all be very proud of ourselves,” declared Evadne, admiring their efforts. “The water is flowing away nicely.”

Mr. Butler had apparently disappeared off to his van, but Evadne addressed the other two. “Would you like to come in for some tea and sandwiches? I believe there’s some smoked salmon in the fridge...”

The vicar looked apologetic. “That is most kind, Evadne. However, a bouquet is being delivered for Cressida at 5 o’clock, and I wish to be there when it arrives so I can witness her reaction. Orange roses are her absolute favourite!”

“Well, of course you must go, Donald.” Evadne turned to Dirk. “Would you perhaps though..?”

Dirk shrugged a little and smiled. “I’m meeting up with my friend Roger.” He raised his eyebrows in a question. “I think you might remember him—he signed you up for driving lessons?”

“Oh, yes—a very nice young man.”

Evadne smiled back at Dirk and the vicar.

“Well, thank you so much for all your hard work. I am grateful to you both for giving up your time like this.”

“Think nothing of it, Evadne!”

“No problem, Doctor Hinge!”

And with a wave, the two men left—the vicar to walk back to the vicarage and Dirk to reclaim his car parked at the end of the drive.

Evadne gave them a last cheerful wave in return.

And then all alone in the gathering darkness, she gave a little sigh.

“Doctor?”

Evadne turned with a slight start. “Oh, Mr. Butler! I thought you’d left.”

“No, no—I just returned to my van briefly to retrieve something.”

Mr. Butler lifted up a large parcel he was holding.

“I hope you don’t feel it is inappropriate, Doctor,” he said hesitantly. “But in honour of the day and to show my esteem… I saw this and thought it was perfect for you.”

He held out the package.

“Good heavens. How exciting…” Evadne ducked her head girlishly. She accepted the proffered parcel, surprised for a moment by the unexpected weight of it, and unwrapped it quickly. “Oh, Mr. Butler!”

Mr. Butler smiled. “I simply had to buy it for you. Well, you know how interested I am in your plumbing.”

Evadne gave him a weak smile, and returned her delighted gaze to her present.

“It comes with full instructions, Doctor. But really you just have to plug it in and away you go.”

“It’s perfect! Thank you.”

Evadne looked up and beamed at Mr. Butler.

“But then, what woman wouldn’t be pleased to receive a new submersible pump?”

**Author's Note:**

> My sister came up with the title for the fic. And the story is lovingly dedicated to our very own submersible pump - without which the septic tank would be even more of a pain than it already is. Happy Valentine's Day!


End file.
